My, Oh My. Where Does The Time Go?

Greetings from our cozy little abode in McKinney. It has been just over a month since my last post.  I thought about you often, sweet blog, but no words have felt worthy of the time. I wanted to get everyone a little peak of the last month.  We have been very busy out here at Cornerstone and even made some big decisions in the last month. 

A couple of weeks ago I made the announcement at MBF that I would leaving between January and March to further pursue my masters and wrap up my course work. It was a hard decision seeing that I have invested more than four years with the company, but Kim and Jim took the news like champs and they were so gracious about everything.  They have since offered for me to work part-time on Mondays and Fridays and I have accepted to give it a try.

I celebrated my 30th Birthday. Thirty years of life...so much has been crammed into this life and I am thankful for all its twist and turns, even when I may not have been appreciative in the moment. I did not plan on doing much of anything for my birthday, with the exception of dinner with the family.  Little did I know that the residents would surprise me and that Larry would put together a party back in Keller with all of our closest friends...and that he would reveal our much anticipated wedding video! He did a brilliant job and I cannot wait to share with you all.

We also had a wonderful time celebrating the wedding of our friends Jayson and Sarah. They planned an intimate ceremony in a friend's backyard and then they rocked the Mainstay Farms venue. It was a beautiful night that let us share in their beautifully quirky love and we are so thankful that the Lord has brought them together.

Our first fall football game, where the cool air tickled our noses and the crickets abounded (in our hair)...

There was also always a little time for dress up.

And celebrating brother K's birthday provided plenty of opportunity to get my hands on this baby! Being an aunt is a fabulous thing.

And yes, we are those people. We have our reasons. Deal with it.

Lastly, Larry and I celebrate six months of sharing life together today.  And all I can say to that is, my, oh my. Where does the time go?

Signed,

Already proudly relishing in Sufjan's Christmas album

P.S. A few prayer requests, please.

*Please be lifting up baby Walker daily as he fights the good fight against cancer.

*My sweet friend and collegue, Holly, for a speedy recovery from surgery for a stubborn, collapsing lung.

*Baby Stellan as he prepares for surgery for his SVT.

2009 Cornerstone Retreat

This past weekend the staff and residents loaded up in two vans and headed to Winslow, Arkansas for a little getaway. It was such a wonderful time together and we enjoyed singing songs, face-off challenges, playing football, hiking, smores, napping and lots of laughing! It was so nice to enjoy the weekend without phones and computers and to soak in this sacred, precious little family that we have together. Have I mentioned I sure am a lucky girl?

**Click on the photos to see an enlarged version.

He's home...

Tired but home. And my heart could just burst. Swoon.

Fall Break

I am a little behind, but last Friday night was the night before the residents headed home to visit their families for fall break. They were very excited and their suitcases were already packed and ready to go. Enjoy them!

*Be sure to pause the music on the right hand side of my blog to hear their voices.

Fall Break from courtney causey on Vimeo.

Compromise

I have been thinking about compromise a lot lately. Here are just a few of my thoughts on how we compromise. I know you've got some too, so let's hear 'em!

Do we compromise the health of our bodies for convenience?

Do we compromise our education by having every answer available at our finger tips?

Do we compromise integrity to enlarge our paychecks?

Do we compromise the very Word of God for the words of Oprah?

Do we compromise the purpose of labor by striving to get rich fast?

Do we compromise time with our children so that they are enrolled in all the right schools and activities?

Do we compromise the precious company before us for a tiny screen and 10 keys?

Do we compromise our marriages for the vicarious relationships we have with Hollywood?

Do we compromise clothing the poor for the aim of a full closet?

Do we compromise the sound of the rain for the sound of a square box in our living room?

Do we compromise witnessing the ever-changing sunset for the evening news?

Do we compromise turning old, yellow pages in a book for a latest and greatest technology?

Do we compromise the safety of our lover's arms for a scripted glimpse into reality?

Do we compromise having a voice in our children’s lives to make happy hour instead?

Do we compromise being made new by insisting on being right?

Do we compromise freedom by striving to maintain appearances?

Do we compromise modesty for the satisfaction of turning the head of another?

Do we compromise retirement funds for shopping bags?

Do we compromise service to be served?

Do we compromise the fruit of pain by seeking to merely dull the ache?

Do we compromise the value of one friend while scrambling to network with the world?

Do we compromise...

Come Monday

Recently I shared this little story with you and even further back, I shared this one. They are fairly similar and I realize that I use my blog to express my general distaste with change quite often. The truth is that change is almost always good, and yet in spite of knowing this, I almost always resist. But whatever. This is another blog about the most recent change in the life de Courtney.

A little over three years ago, the Lord was gracious enough to have one of my friends, Taylor, call MBF with a recommendation of her friend for one of our internal positions. When I met Kari she was friendly but quiet...very quiet. I just wasn't sure about her, you see. Of course, I had the same feeling about one of my best friends, Callie, years before and we became such fast friends that I should have known that Kari would end up to be one of my besties. Anyway, my friend Kels and I were looking for a third roommate and I subtly threw it out there to Kari and it was almost an instant yes. Little did I know that the Lord was weaving our lives together in a way that only He can. But before I get off track and tell you every little thing about Kari and our friendship, I should let you know that today brought change.

Today was Kari's last day at Mom's Best Friend.

Monday will roll around and there will be no text about traffic being the cause of our tardiness or early morning phone call to laugh about something we heard on the Kidd Kradick show. No more organizing event supplies together, or making sonic runs mid-afternoon, and we won't even have the occasional office arguments because one or both of us got our feelings hurt (the hardship of being best friends and colleagues at times!).

Okay, before I sit here and think about all the things that we have done together, causing me to spin into a depression with crocodile tears and heart palpitations, I should should stop and simply say that I love her. Very much.

Dear Kari, your work at MBF has been unbelievable. Your work ethic and kindness minister to me daily and I respect you more than you know. We have grown so much in the last few years together and as I wrote you earlier today, I look forward to the years to come and the sweet memories that they will hold together. I will thank the Lord forever for His perfect timing of placing you in my life. I pray that our friendship lives, thrives and flourishes way outside the walls of MBF. Good luck to you in your new adventure and I am so proud of you for taking this risk. I pray that Monday morning is filled with new wonder for you and all of God's precious peace. Please know that there will surely be a void in the office and our hearts without you. Okay, I have to stop because the tears, well, they are a comin'. I won't say goodbye, but rather, have a nice vacation. I love you, dear friend.

I wanted to share a few pictures from over the last few years spent with Kare Bear. We have done a lot of life together! Work, love, heartbreak, laughter, tears, the loss of a friend, engagement, marriage, first time skiers, cruise ships, Christmas trees, tennis, roller blades, dinner parties, and so much more. And I will yell it off the rooftop, "HE IS GOOD"!

Signed,

Fraggle

V{an} Adventure

**Be sure to pause the music in order to hear the sound on the video. Enjoy our friends! There are a few special shout outs to Coach Matt Shabay and Matt Coker. But you have to listen closely!

Van Adventures, 8/12/09 from courtney causey on Vimeo.

Morning Pillow Talk

Good morning! It's bright and early and I could be sleeping (my only day of the week to) but instead I am surfing the internet. What is wrong with me? I blame my morning distractions on Crystal for posting pictures of my "nephew" Ghirin. I was so excited I wanted to jump out of bed and dance a little. But I didn't. You can check out Matt and Callie's prized possession here. Couldn't you just eat.him.up?

Good news! Great news! Larry is coming home a whole week early! He should be home either tonight or early tomorrow. I have only gotten to talk to him once since he's been in British Colombia but it sounded like he was having a great trip. He spent 9 hours going up a mountain horseback and then back down all day yesterday, but he was loving every minute...you know him. I will post a few pictures for you when he gets home.

I took the residents to ride go-carts last night and then we enjoyed a sonic run after. They all did great and even though I still miss my friends back home every weekend, I could not be more blessed to spend my nights with such special friends. They are so good to me.

Okay, well, since I am up before 7:00 maybe I should get out of bed and do one of the seven loads of laundry I have sitting in the floor. I swear, Larry leaves for a week and the house is destroyed...laundry everywhere, dishes to be done, messy bathroom...messy everything! But by tonight the house will be in order, groceries stocked, and smelling divine with candles and food. Larry will think that I never missed a beat while he was away. Shhh...this is our little secret, okay?

Oh, and a very happy 3 month anniversary to us today! I can't even believe how fast the time is going. I love you so much, Larry and you become a greater gift to me every day. Thank you!

Happy weekend, friends!

Signed,

Get out there and get the stink blown off ya
-Hope Floats